Bruins’ Boychuk Injured After Hit In Montreal, Travels Back To Boston

Johnny Boychuk #55 of the Boston Bruins leaves the game on a stretcher after a hit by Max Pacioretty #67 of the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

MONTREAL (CBS/AP) — Boston Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk was taken from the ice on a stretcher after a hit from behind by Montreal forward Max Pacioretty on Thursday night.

The game was delayed several minutes as Boychuk was attended to by medical and training staff on the ice before being wheeled off the ice.

Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli says Boychuk was taken to Montreal General Hospital for observation.

“Before he was transported to the hospital, he was able to demonstrate movement in all of his extremities,” Chiarelli said in a statement. “We will provide a further update when it is appropriate.”

Boychuck was released from the hospital later in the evening and was able to fly back to Boston with the team.

“He’s still obviously injured,” head coach Claude Julien said after the game. “We don’t know the severity of it and I don’t know all the details, but it was an injury serious enough to bring him to the hospital. Definitely, it’s going to be a little while before he’s good to go. I don’t know exactly how much time, but the good news is he’s coming back with us tonight and he’ll be reassessed by our doctors back in Boston.”

Pacioretty was given a two-minute penalty for boarding at 4:28 of the first period.

Boychuk had chased the puck into the Canadiens end of the rink. The hit into the end boards to the right of goalie Carey Price did not look particularly hard, but Boychuk’s head struck the top of the boards and he fell to the ice.

He was on his knees breathing heavily for several minutes before trainers got him onto his back and onto the stretcher.